"If we are not fully ourselves, truly in the present moment, we miss everything When a child presents himself to you with his smile, if you are not really there--thinking about the future or the past, or preoccupied with other problems--then the child is not really there for you.. The technique of being alive is to go back to yourself in order for the child to appear like a marvelous reality. Then you can see him smile and you can embrace him in your arms." Thich Nhat Hanh

Really Seeing Children: A Collection of Teaching and Learning Stories to Inspire an Everyday Practice of Reflection, Observation, and Joyful Presence with Children

Inspiration

Jacky Howell has over 40 years experience working with young children, families and programs providing quality early care and education in many different roles including early childhood teacher, administrator, trainer, coach and technical assistant. She has over 30 years experience as a course instructor and presenter on topics related to early childhood development and curriculum. Jacky has worked extensively as a technical assistant and mentor to early childhood teachers in the District of Columbia for the past eleven years. In addition, Jacky has been a speaker and a keynoter at local, national, and international conferences, including NAEYC’s Annual Conference and Professional Development Conference, PACT, MCPPNS, MAESA and AEYC's throughout the country as well as overseas. Jacky has published in several early childhood journals and wrote a column for NAEYC’s journal, Teaching Young Children. NAEYC recently published the book she co-authored, Rituals and Traditions: Fostering a Sense of Community in Preschool.